


Clandestine

by chosenkiing



Series: The Puppet King [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Dubious Consent, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Manipulation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-13
Updated: 2017-03-13
Packaged: 2018-10-03 21:58:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10259474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chosenkiing/pseuds/chosenkiing
Summary: Clan·des·tine.Kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit.Bluebeard-esque inspired AU. In which Noctis becomes curious about whatever secret his uncle seems to be hiding and gets in over his head.“Oh, dear Noct~Haven’t you heard that curiosity killed the cat?”Originally posted on Tumblr, but reposted here on request.





	

**Author's Note:**

> My contribution to one of my favorite pairings of FFXV~ I have fallen _so_ deeply into ardynoct hell... and I'm enjoying every moment.
> 
> This is also the first thing I've written in a long while -laughs- So yeah, constructive comments would be appreciated.

Noctis felt his eyes widen as he stared at the macabre scene before him. Bile began to bubble up in his throat, the burning sensation leaving an acidic taste in the back of his mouth. Oh why had he allowed his curious mind get the better of him? Snatching the key from his uncle’s pocket now seemed like the biggest mistake he could have ever made…

Bloodstained, broken bodies were suspended above the stone floor by industrial hooks, their arms bound above their heads by thick chains. They were hung in a circular pattern, almost like some gruesome mockery of an arena theatre. Were they still alive, each would have had a clear view of every other victim in the circle. It was painfully obvious that whoever had orchestrated this… torture chamber was sickeningly sadistic.

Noctis refused to believe the architect could have possibly been his dear uncle—surely there was some other explanation…

A muffled gasping for breath had the young royal’s startled gaze immediately fixated upon the source of the quiet noise. One of the women in the circle was _still alive_ , her unfocused, blue eyes pleading at him from her unconventional prison. Her body was peppered in bruises and lacerations, all of which appeared painful, though non-lethal. But why did she seem so familiar?

 _—Oh gods!_ It took Noctis a moment to recognize the woman silently pleading at him, but he had no doubts. This was _Lunafreya_! This was his friend! What was she doing here?! Why…?

… Could this really be Ardyn’s doing?? His burgundy-haired, protective uncle? The man who had so generously looked after him after his father’s passing? The man whose amber eyes always looked at him so kindly, so gently… as though he was the only thing that mattered to him?

“ _Oh, dear Noct~_ Haven’t you heard that curiosity killed the cat?”

The young king felt his heart nearly explode from his chest the other man’s sudden appearance, the words having been spoken lowly. Ardyn’s breath was ghosting over his hypersensitive ear, his strong, almost painful grip had settled on his hip while the other found its way around his waist. Ardyn’s arms and slender digits tightened with every next word he spoke, “I do wish you hadn’t seen all of this, Noct dearest. Your precious eyes were not meant for such a scene.”

The younger man found his mouth was not forming words as easily as he would have liked.  Each syllable sounded weak and pitiful to his own ears, he could only imagine they sounded likewise to his uncle. “Ardyn, w-what is this? Why are those people down here? Why is _Luna_ here?!” His voice was starting to crack, as he could feel the larger man looming over him, chest pressed snugly against his back.

“My _precious_ , little nephew,” the terms of endearment were dripping with honey, and he could feel Ardyn’s smile against his neck, the scruff hard to miss. “You have nothing to worry about,” the redhead comforted, pivoting Noctis around to face him. One arm was still wrapped tightly around his waist, as though he was trying to eliminate any space between them. Ardyn’s other hand was gently caressing the young king’s face, his thumb carefully swiping and collecting the wetness that had accumulated beneath bright, crystalline blue eyes.

Noctis hadn’t even realized he’d been crying.

“Dear, sweet boy,” his uncle began again, his voice strong and even, “you know I would never hurt you. The things I’ve done here, it’s all for your sake, Noct. You want me by your side always, don’t you? That’s what you told me not long after our first encounter, isn’t it?”

It was, Noctis recalled clearly. He had been young at the time, eight years old at most, curled atop his father’s grave, head resting upon the tombstone as he sobbed uncontrollably. Ardyn had approached him then, a large, comforting hand coming to rest upon his back. A tingling warmth had spread throughout him then, as though everything was going to be alright. He’d offered him companionship, protection, guidance…

He had been a stranger before then, but he’d introduced himself as his uncle. Ardyn claimed he had been exiled many years prior, and thus why Noctis had never met the man before. He hadn’t thought to question it—it seemed rather plausible given his father’s stern nature. It had just made sense to accept the older man’s help. Noctis was still only a child, he didn’t know how to rule a country, how to be a king…

His uncle was knowledgeable about the world, about politics. Every decision that had been presented to the child king Ardyn had explained thoroughly, patiently guiding him through the process, despite his young age. His father’s kingdom surely would have crumbled twelve years ago, had he not had Ardyn’s help.

He owed the man _everything_.

“These people, they would dare try to come between the two of us, to sever our bond, to make you doubt me,” he explained matter-of-factly, his forehead now resting upon Noctis’ own. The pad of Ardyn’s thumb began rubbing against his cheek in a soothing motion before inquiring with a saccharine smile, “You don’t want that, do you, Noct?”

It took a moment for the young king to gather his voice once more, his heart was still racing wildly in his chest like a caged coeurl, “O—of course not. But _this_ ,” Noctis raised his arm, blindly motioning towards the morbid chamber, “this isn’t right, Ardyn! Luna… Luna’s my friend, _my fiancée!_ ”

The taller male clicked his tongue disapprovingly, his lithe fingers now grasping Noctis’ chin firmly, the arm around his waist also tightening, “Oh, precious, innocent King, there are those who would use such a position to their advantage—Lady Lunafreya sought to do exactly that. She would have you fulfil the painful destiny that awaits you. I only seek to _save_ you from such a cruel fate.”

“But—”

“—You do trust me, don’t you, Noct?” The words were spoken more as a statement rather than a question, leaving no room for dispute, not that he disagreed to begin with…

“I-I…” Golden amber eyes pierced sharply into his crystalline blue, and the king found his breath hitching in his throat. A tingling warmth was beginning to spread over his face, across his chest, and up his spine—anywhere Ardyn was touching him really. His brain was having difficulties comprehending the argument he’d been intending to make, the words dying before they even had a chance to form.

“ _Oh my,_ ” the older male chuckled lowly with a playful grin, pressing his thigh against the noticeable bulge between Noctis’ legs—since when had he gotten hard in this fucked up scenario?! “Is this for _me_?”

An involuntary gasp escaped the king’s lips, only darkening the blush that spread across his face. Why was he hard now of all times? And in front of his _uncle_ of all people?! _This was so embarrassing…_

Ardyn’s breath ghosted over his lips as he whispered mischievously, “There’s no need to be shy, you have nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, if you’d like a hand,” he teased, the appendage that had been caressing his face having somehow snaked its way between their bodies, palming the younger male’s crotch, “I would be _honored_ to lend you my own.”

“Ngh…!” Sputtering, Noctis averted his gaze, doing his best to refrain from bucking his hips into the other’s hand. “Ardyn… T-this isn’t—you’re my _uncle_ ,” he emphasized.

“Indeed,” the redhead agreed, grinning wickedly, “but I’m neither your father’s or your mother’s brother. I’m a bit more _removed_ than that,” he continued, gently fondling the other male through his trousers. “It’s a bit too complicated to be explaining now, and I doubt your particularly interested at the moment, so I’ll save it for another time. All you need to know is that I would _never_ lie to you, and I’m only ever looking out for you, _my dearest Noct~_ ”

The smaller man couldn’t help but keen lowly at the way Ardyn had spoken his nickname, nearly like a caress in and of itself. In fact, he was finding it difficult to concentrate on much of anything right now, save for the sparks of pleasure that were making his vision begin to blur. It didn’t help that the hand palming him was beginning to increase in pressure, lithe fingers working skillfully, even over the cloth of his pants.

Noctis could sense the other male’s lips a mere hair’s breadth away, his eyes having slid half-closed in his daze. “Would you like a kiss, Your Majesty?” He managed a small nod, the motion brushing their mouths together for the briefest of moments. “Ah, forgive my cruelty, but it would bring me _great pleasure_ to hear you say it,” the redhead teased, his grin turning crooked.

The smaller man managed to suppress a whine—why must Ardyn be such a tease? “Please just…” Noctis choked out, “ _… fucking kiss me already._ ”

“I do adore that _dirty_ mouth of yours,” he murmured lowly before roughly joining their lips in a messy, almost violent kiss of tongues and teeth.

Just how many times had Noctis imagined a scenario like this? How many times had he laid in his own bed at the end of the day, fantasizing about his handsome ‘uncle’? It was incredible, so deliciously sinful, more so than he had ever imagined—being caught securely in Ardyn’s arms, the other man’s tongue nearly halfway down his throat, breathing raggedly through his nose, his fingers tangled thoroughly in wavy, burgundy strands, a hand roughly groping his erection…

The older man greedily swallowed Noctis’ moans as he came, much sooner than the young king was proud of. The raven-haired male didn’t think it was possible for him to blush any fiercer than he already was, but his own body had proven him wrong, much to his dismay.

Ardyn’s smile as he disentangled their mouths didn’t much help the matter—even if it was surprisingly gentle in its own way. “You are so terribly precious, my young, innocent king,” he chuckled, slipping his hand back out from between their bodies to rest it back upon the other’s face. Softly brushing his knuckles over his cheek, the redhead gazed into Noctis’ dilated, crystalline eyes. His stare beginning to grow distant and possessive before murmuring, more to himself than to his nephew it seemed, “Oh darling, do you have any idea _how long_ I’ve remained in the darkness for you? How _desperately_ I’ve awaited your birth? You would be both flattered and appalled at the things I’ve done for you. I will not permit _anyone_ to take you from me, my dear Noct.”

The raven-haired king found himself conflicted as Ardyn’s words spurred his brain into reminding him of the gruesome sight just behind him. The influence this man had over his emotions— _over him_ —was becoming _painfully_ clear.

Luna… she was still here, chained up and hung from the ceiling like a lamb in a butcher shop. His fiancée was literally no more than twenty feet away from their scandalous, sensual exchange. Noctis found himself wanting to glance over his shoulder to check on his meant-to-be future queen, but his chin was grasped tightly in response, keeping his head firmly in place.

“ _She cannot leave here, Noctis._ ” The use of his full first name was unusual for Ardyn, and the stern tone he used left no room for argument—it wasn’t a voice he used when speaking to the young king and it caught him off guard, his eyes widening in surprise. “It’s not my intention to frighten you, dear,” he spoke, tone softening, though his pupils narrowed into slits, as though he was some sort of predator…

_Or daemon._

“However, I would hate for you to see this. Return to your room, Your Majesty. I’ll see you there soon.”

Noctis swallowed thickly, his throat suddenly dry, “What… are you going to do to her?”

His uncle let out a soft sigh, disapprovingly clicking his tongue, “Ah, I do think it best you don’t make me answer that, _Noctis_.”

A cold chill ran up his spine, and he was unable to suppress a shudder. A strange, almost unnatural smile spread across his uncle’s lips then, “Just know that I am _delighted_ to be at your disposal, my King. But do keep in mind, as I am yours…” Ardyn trailed off, his towering frame leaning down to brush his lips against Noctis’ ear possessively before emphasizing pointedly:

_“You. Are. **Mine.** ”_


End file.
